Ed's Discussions

The one glaring gap in evolutionary theory that persists to baffle us is exactly how we went from asexual (meiosis) to sexual (mitosis) reproduction. There is many theories floating about in the…Continue

Is atheism experiencing growing pains with all this in house bickering and accusations of racism and sexism? We have certain individuals who have risen to the forefront of the atheist cause but not…Continue

I have lost several relatives in the past few years. Many succumbed to the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The loss of one's memory and their ability to identify, those around them, family members…Continue

""sex" is present in plants before animals, etc.
The easiest way to think about 'survival of the fittest" is to NOT think about it as survival of the fittest critter, but of the INVOLVED GENES.
IE: As long as the GENES get…"

"TL;DR at first.
Then I read it. TJ, that's awesome!
I just came back to point out how DNA sequencing across species is giving us the most precise (when known) and most probable (as comparisons are calculated) taxonomy, or tree of life. I.e.,…"

"It is sometimes hard to realize accept that we just don't have the answers to certain phases of evolutionary development, especially during it's more primitive stages. How organisms eventually developed specialized cells/organelles…"

"Simon, just to clarify, "survival of the fittest" does not refer to the most athletic, it refers to fitness as suitability, not as health. Survival of the most suitable for current habitats, would probably be more accurate."

"I mostly agree with y'all, but sex probably became the next big thing way back over a billion years ago, evolving even before multicellular organisms evolved. See here. It probably started merely as a more efficient way to exchange genes or…"

"My pet theory is that it's all about COMPETITION. Competition increases fitness. The fittest survive. Evo-fucking-lution. If you think about it, why do males fight, much of the time? Bingo. Why are females…"

"I don't know anything on the subject, but I'm wondering if possibly it was an adaptation for social reasons. You know? It has been proven that having fathers involved in their kids lives makes them healthier. We "need" each other…"

Florida governor Rick Scott is proceeding with his threats to reprimand state employees who use terminology such as "climate change" and "global warming." They even go so far as to say mental health screening may be…

Yesterday the Indiana governor signed the bill passed by their legislature that allows businesses the right to deny service to the homeosexual segment of their state. The so-called valid reason for the law is respecting religious belief. Our country continues to operate like it is still in the Dark Ages. There is certainly going to be lawsuits and probably loss of revenue when organizations decide to hold such things as conventions elsewhere.

Today the Arkansas State Senate approved a bill 27-3 to allow a private firm, with private monies, to erect a monument on the Capitol grounds that would display the Xtian Ten Commandments. It now goes to the House. Since our state has been recently abducted by the Republican Party -attorney general, governor, Senate majority, House majority- there has been a plethora of legislation attempting to promote their god and make life hard on the likes of illegal aliens, the poor, college kids,…

Read an article in Smithsonian about the efforts of a secretive group in the African nation of Mali to rescue the large volume of ancient Arabic manuscripts that resided in Timbuktu. The Islamist insurgents (Al queda ?) who had force-ably taken over the northern territories of Mali were uncomfortable with the existence of the manuscripts. Why? Evidently anyone who studied the manuscripts discovered that the religion of Islam actually supported religious tolerance. It was evident…

Congratulations, Ed - you are my second "friend," where I once had over 200 before my account was deleted entirely Jan1-2. Since this will appear on your comment will appear on your comment wall, I can't go into detail. I will try PMing you, but since I rejoined, I haven't been able to get PM to work, so I may need you to give me an email address, if you don't receive a PM within the next five minutes.

Napa County is indeed wine country, Ed, as is Sonoma County just to the west.

My dad and his friends made beer and wine during the Prohibition years when we lived in Ohio. He was in the grocery business and I heard him tell people they can make wine from anything that rots. My wife and made wine during our marriage but not from grapes. I now make my own liqueurs.

Thanks for the message. I will definitely check out that book. I am always looking for a new read. You seem like you might have a good opinion on this; Do you think that as a race we are de-evolving by catering to the ignorant masses by creating welfare states for people who are too stupid or lazy to do for themselves and then give them tax credits which equates to thousands of dollars just for having children? This is going to sound really bad, but wouldn't it be better for our species if we neutered anyone with an IQ under say 100? There are too many people on earth anyway. Why is it someones human right to reproduce? I think it should be a privilege that is earned. Only the best and the brightest should be allowed to carry on their genetic lineage. Also there should be a strict guidelines and quality requirements for parenting. I realize this will never happen. People are to corrupt by nature to use a system like that for good. Sometimes I think we are all doomed.

Thanks :) I'm enjoying it already. It's nice to be able to communicate with people even if every thought is not seen eye to eye. The internet is full of people trolling and sniping at one another, its good to finally find a place for civil correspondence.

"Indifference to the needless suffering and plight of the very beings it (god) is supposedly responsible for creating is testament to the convoluted thinking of it's followers. "

I'm sure that it is, but not only followers of a specific ideology but the human race as a whole. For that matter every species and the whole of nature. It's a dog eat dog world. When a lion commits infanticide its not evil its just the natural order of things. Human beings are fickle emotionally unstable creatures. For some reason we have the ability to think abstractly and outside of the basic survival instincts if only for a moment or two. The formation of religions over the coarse of human history was only natural for a creature with this capability in order to reconcile its advanced cognitive status to a deaf playing field.

I'm surprised we weren't already friends on here. Anyway, if you don't use a copper bowl then you need to add a little cream of tartar - essentially to drop the PH a little. You also need to ensure you don't have a single drop or smear of yolk in those whites. After that it should be easy.